Aggie great Phil Olsen on 2019 College Football Hall of Fame ballot

Written by Doug Hoffman - USU Athletic Media Relations

June 5, 2018

LOGAN, Utah – The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced Monday the names on the 2019 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame and an Aggie legend made the list.

Former Utah State defensive end Phil Olsen is one of 76 players, to go along with six coaches, from the Football Bowl Subdivision to be nominated. Additionally, 100 players and 32 coaches from the divisional ranks made the ballot.

Olsen lettered three years for the Aggies from 1967-69 and was a 1969 consensus first-team All-American. During his three years in the program, Utah State compiled an overall record of 17-12-1, including two wins apiece over BYU and Utah.

In 1969, Olsen was a team captain, team MVP and the Utah State Athlete of the Year. He was selected to play in both the East-West Shrine Game and Hula Bowl. In Olsen’s junior year, the Aggies went 7-3 and defeated Wisconsin 20-0 for Utah State’s lone win over a school from the Big Ten Conference.

Olsen is a member of the Utah Sports Hall of Fame (inducted in 1985), USU’s All-Century Football Team and Utah State’s Hall of Fame (inducted in 1994). In 2000, he was selected by Sports Illustrated as one of the State of Utah’s Top 50 Athletes of the Century.

Following his senior season, the native of Logan was drafted in the first round (fourth overall) of the 1970 NFL draft by the Boston Patriots. Olsen went on to play seven seasons in the NFL, including one year with the Patriots, four with the Los Angeles Rams and two with the Denver Broncos.

When he was with the Rams, he played alongside his brother, Merlin, another former Aggie great. Merlin and Phil played side-by-side as defensive tackles for the Rams in 1971 and 1972.

Three former Aggies are in the Hall of Fame, including Merlin Olsen, E.L. “Dick” Romney and John Ralston.

“It’s an enormous honor to just be on the ballot when you think that more than 5.26 million people have played college football and only 997 players have been inducted,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “The Hall’s requirement of being a First-Team All-American creates a much smaller pool of about 1,500 individuals who are even eligible. Being in today’s elite group means an individual is truly among the greatest to have ever played the game, and those actually elected to the Class will be part of a momentous year as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of college football in 2019.”

The ballot was emailed today to the more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers whose votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF’s Honors Courts, which will deliberate and select the class. The FBS Honors Court, chaired by NFF Board Member and College Football Hall of Famer Archie Griffin from Ohio State, and the Divisional Honors Court, chaired by former Marshall head coach, longtime athletics director and NFF Board Member Jack Lengyel, include an elite and geographically diverse pool of athletic administrators, Hall of Famers and members of the media.

“Having a ballot and a voice in the selection of the inductees is one of the most cherished NFF member benefits,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, a 1989 Hall of Fame inductee from Mississippi. “There is no group more knowledgeable or passionate about college football than our membership, and the tradition of the ballot helps us engage them in the lofty responsibility of selecting those who have reached the pinnacle of achievement in our sport.”

The announcement of the 2019 Class will be made Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, in Santa Clara, Calif. The city is serving as the host for the CFP National Championship, which will be played later that day at Levi’s Stadium. Some of the electees will be on site during the announcement to represent the class and share their thoughts on being elected. The Jan. 7 announcement will be televised live, and specific viewing information will be available as the date draws near. Several of the electees will also participate in the pregame festivities and the coin toss before the championship game.

To be eligible for the ballot, players must have been named a first-team All-American by a major/national selector as recognized and utilized by the NCAA for their consensus All-America teams; played their last year of intercollegiate football at least 10 years prior; played within the last 50 years and cannot be currently playing professional football. Coaches must have coached a minimum of 10 years and 100 games as a head coach; won at least 60 percent of their games; and be retired from coaching for at least three years. If a coach is retired and over the age of 70, there is no waiting period. If he is over the age of 75, he is eligible as an active coach. In both cases, the candidate’s post-football record as a citizen may also be weighed.